LASCRUCES, New Mexico - For Virgin Galactic--the passenger-carrying spaceliner company--plansare rapidly taking shape to offer suborbital space flights in the near-term butalso to eventually offer point-to-point rocket travel around the globe, as wellas to space hotels, and trips to the Moon.
Whilethe business case for public space transportation has yet to be proven,sections of Virgin Galactic's spaceliner already dot the factory floors atScaled Composites in Mojave, California--all under the watchful eye of aerospacedesigner, Burt Rutan.
Thecompany's founder, British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson entered into apartnership last year with Rutan creating The Spaceship Company to build afleet of commercial suborbital spaceships and launch aircraft.
Workingon the Virgin Galactic project from its conception, Tai plans to fly the firstcommercial flight of the firm's spaceship as one of the pilots. Among currenttasks, he is supervising the design and construction of the new passenger-carryingSpaceShipTwo.
"Whatthis is about is some seven minutes of black sky; about four minutes ofzero-gravity and about training to become an astronaut," Tai explained. There'sno doubt in his mind that the experience will be first-rate and a full-servicepackage--akin to the luxurious pampering already given Virgin travelers, henoted.
"Youcan sit somewhere in a box strapped into an ejection seat and give them zeroview," Tai said. "That's no way to go into space. We'll be giving them a reallysexy training experience. We're providing large windows that maximize theview...the freedom to float around in zero-gravity...to maximize the experience. Idon't think we're in danger of under-delivery."
Forthe $200,000 a person receives an all-accommodations three-day package, hotel,training and transport to and from the spaceport site. "We'll throw in mealsand champagne," Tai added.
Taisaid that he's aware that there is still skepticism in some circles aboutpublic space travel. More stunt than a stable business. Branson is keen, heresponded, on developing a legacy and becoming the first-ever spacelineroperator and owner.
"Therewill be incremental improvements to the technology," Tai predicted. Initially, SpaceShipTwo,like its predecessor, will utilize the oomph of a hybrid rocket motor. But oncethe industry is underway, Virgin Galactic will look for other types of motorsto plug in the back of spaceliners.
"Thenthe seat prices will tumble," is the forecast from Tai. Branson plans to plowback money gained from early flights into extensions of space tourism, headded.
Bankingon Virgin Galactic's progress, watch for more manufacturers to pop up withother types of space vehicles. "There will be fuel to fan the invention...and thefuel is money," Tai said.
Itwould be wrong to think of SpaceShipTwo as a "scaled-up" SpaceShipOne. Whilelarger in size--both the suborbital rocket plane as well as the White Knightcarrier mothership--extra margin must be built in for safety systems to beimplemented. Redundant and backup systems are to be employed too.
"Froma business perspective," Tai suggested, "I would very much like him to spendthe least amount of money and do it in the shortest period of time. But that'snot the fundamental requirement. It's producing the safest, best-performingship. If I have to wait an extra year for that, I'll take the pressure fromeveryone...to make sure that we get the best possible product."
"Andthat's going to cost money as well. I believe we'll spend between $225 millionand $250 million" to reach that operating point, Tai said, perhaps staring in2009 but also depending on how the testing program goes.
Therewill be a Virgin Galactic cadre of spaceliner pilots. They are being drawn fromVirgin's network of airlines. "We pay top dollar. And that attracts some of thebest pilots," Tai said, with those selected for space travel duty picked aftera meticulous training and preparation course.
"We'llensure that we get the best possible pilots. It'll be a dreamy job," Taiemphasized.
"It'sclearly a goal of Virgin Galactic of being a spaceline operator, not just forsame-point-to-same-point space tourism," Tai said. "We want to gopoint-to-point on the planet ...with exceptional style and safety."
Gettingcheap access to low Earth orbit, Tai continued, will be leveraged from theability to globally hop about. "That's where the real market is. It will bedone off the back of point-to-point...not off going straight to low Earth orbit."
Withthat technology in hand, it's onward to orbital destinations, space hotelstopovers, and to the Moon and beyond, Tai said. "That's the big step, to breakfree of the surly bonds of Earth."
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